September 23, 2013

In a note printed on the inside cover of the script for Godzilla, playwright Yasuhiko Ohashi instructs directors to cast the roles of his monsters with real actors. “No rubber suits, please,” he asks. “If the audience means well and is imaginative, Godzilla will look like Godzilla.” Our Co-op Theater Company, appropriately enough, has chosen 8 p.m. on Halloween night to open its version of Ohashi’s charmingly bizarre love story. Yes, Godzilla is a love story starring Godzilla and it’s stomping its way to the URBN Annex Black Box Theater (3401 Filbert St., Philadelphia) Oct. 31 through Nov. 9.

Aaron Cromie directs Godzilla. Cromie, a Philadelphia-based, multidisciplinary theatre artist, has collaborated as performer, designer, director, writer and musician with the Arden Theatre Company, the Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Mum Puppettheatre, the Studio Theatre, Wilma Theater, Lantern Theater, and Shakespeare Theatre, and he toured nationally with a production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story.  

The story of “Godzilla” focuses on young Yayoi Ichinose, who brings her fiancé, Godzilla, home to meet her parents.  Mr. and Mrs. Ichinose, of course, disapprove of their daughter’s choice of a husband. The chaos that results from the lovers’ announcement to marry is hard on the family, their car, and their entire town. With everyone against them, with Godzilla’s child in the picture from a “previous relationship,” and with Godzilla’s bad temper, how will their love ever survive?

“We chose a line-up of fall productions that were a little different, but most importantly, fun,” says Theatre Program Director Nick Anselmo. “Godzilla is a lot of fun because of its over-the-top content, executed in a minimalistic way. It is the perfect set-up and complement for our upcoming production of The Apple Tree this November, which is also a real riot.”

“Godzilla” at the URBN Annex Black Box Theater will run October 31, November 1, 2, 8, 9 at 8 p.m., Nov 3 at 2 p.m. and Nov 7 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for Drexel students, faculty and staff with a valid ID. Click here to purchase tickets online at the Drexel Co-op Theater website.